Gold Coast Int'l Film Festival to Present DENNEHY BY DONAHUE, 2/16

Related: Gold Coast Int'l Film Festival

On Saturday February 16th at 8pm, please join TV and Film aficionados from across Long Island as the Gold Coast International Film Festival presents DENNEHY BY DONAHUE, a very special discussion with Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Award Winning actor and Chaminade High School Alum Brian Dennehy hosted by Emmy Award winning and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame TV Host Phil Donahue, happening at Harbor Links located at 1 Fairway Drive in Port Washington, NY.

The evening will be a retrospective of Dennehy's life and career, from his youth spent on Long Island and in Connecticut, to his beginnings as an actor, running through his triumphs in film, theater and television. Phil Donahue, known for his humor and wit, will bring his insightful questions, stories and perspectives to the event, making for a special evening all around.

"We are so proud to have Mr. Dennehy as our guest for this special presentation. He is a world class star and performer, with so many awards to his credit" remarked Regina Keller Gil, Executive Director for the Gold Coast Arts Center, "To add to our excitement will be the presence of Mr. Donahue, who is a trailblazer and a star in his own right, coming out our way for the first time. We hope to impress him with the high quality of our Long Island community and give him and Mr. Dennehy a world class welcome."

Pricing is $50 per person for VIP Seating, which includes a meet and greet with Brian Dennehy (scheduled to begin at 6:30pm) and a dessert reception; there are also $25 general seating tickets available which include the dessert reception, as well. All proceeds to benefit the Great Neck Arts Center in Great Neck, NY. Tickets are available now by visiting http://www.goldcoastfilmfestival.org

"Dennehy by Donahue is the first of a series of pre-festival programs that will lead up to the third annual GCIFF" said Aviva Miller, Events Director for the Gold Coast International Film Festival, "We are always looking to highlight the many talented actors that come from this region. We are thrilled that such a gifted and accomplished actor such as Brian Dennehy, who is also a native son, will return to his roots for this memorable evening."

DENNEHY BY DONAHUE: Brian Dennehy hosted by Phil Donahue

Saturday, February 16, 2013 - VIP Cocktail Meet and Greet at 6:30pm
Show at 8:00pm - Dessert Reception to follow

Harbor Links , One Fairway Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050
http://www.harborlinks.com

Ticket Prices: $50 per person for VIP Seating (includes meet and greet with Brian Dennehy and dessert reception); $25 general seating (includes dessert reception).

THE GOLD COAST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL celebrates the rich culture, history and talent of this fabled region. The "Gold Coast" was once a haven for New York's elite such as the Pratts, Whitneys, Roosevelts, Fricks, Guests, DuPonts, J.P. Morgan, and Otto Kahn, and today their mansions exist as museums, historic spots and party spaces (which GCIFF makes good use of). Great Neck (the hub of the Festival) was home to many celebrities including Groucho Marx, Joan Crawford, Paulette Goddard, Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, George M. Cohan and other titans of the silver screen. Most apropos, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his most famous work The Great Gatsby here. Today's Gold Coast remains a confluence of culture and class. Those influences from our past combined with the artistry, storytelling and technology of today's world, enable the Gold Coast International Film Festival to thrive and soar and present our audiences with a fantastic and accessible festival experience. Everyone's Invited!

THE GREAT NECK ARTS CENTER is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach. Since our founding in 1993, over 100,000 people of all ages and backgrounds have taken advantage of our many classes, live performances, programs, workshops, films and art exhibits. GNAC is a proud affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Partners in Education program and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the producer of the Gold Coast International Film Festival!

Brian Dennehy has maintained a strong presence in film, theatre, and television for three decades. He has twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor; honored for playing James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night," and for playing Willy Loman in "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." The latter production was also filmed for Showtime with Dennehy also serving as executive producer. The television version subsequently earned Dennehy a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy Award nomination. He revived the role of Willy Loman in London's West End in 2005 for which he received the coveted Olivier Award for Best Actor. Most recently, he played Ephraim Cabot in the Broadway production of "Desire Under the Elms" for which he received favorable reviews.

Phil Donahue is an American media personality, writer and film producer. He is best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show, which ran from 1967 to 1996, the longest running syndicated talk show in U.S. television history. More recently he hosted a show called Donahue on MSNBC. In 2007, Mr. Donahue served as executive producer for the feature documentary film, Body of War. His books include Donahue: My Own Story and The Human Animal. Mr. Donahue was awarded nine Emmy Awards during his broadcasting career, and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993. In May of 2002 ~ TV Guide named "DONAHUE" as one of the Fifty Greatest TV Shows of all time.